


Journey Before Destination

by bluspirits



Category: Cosmere - Brandon Sanderson, Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Family, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, Light Angst, Road Trips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-04
Updated: 2017-08-04
Packaged: 2018-12-10 06:57:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11686413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluspirits/pseuds/bluspirits
Summary: “Can I preach, uh oh, can I preach, uh oh, I gotta show em how a pimp get it in!”Vin stared at Kelsier in abject horror, mouth hanging open.He noticed her expression. His smile grew wider and his voice got louder"Oh my God, stop!" Vin shouted, reaching for the radio dial.Vin hitches a ride with a stranger and finds something like family.





	Journey Before Destination

**Author's Note:**

> This is brought to you by Logan (2017), Spotify's pop hits playlists, and all of the ugly tears brought on by my Final Empire reread. Though this is significantly less sad than two out of three of those things. 
> 
> While this takes place in a modern Scadrial, it includes references to things like Bruno Mars, Les Mis, and one of the songs mentions Jesus. It also uses the obligators as more of a police force than as witnesses like in the books. Please forgive all of the anachronisms. I just wanted Kelsier to sing 24k Magic. 
> 
> Here's some links to the playlist for this fic, which features some of the songs that drove Vin insane during their roadtrip (mostly pop music, with some musicals thrown in):
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/user/emlodzinski/playlist/7ex6Qz3PGJYfLncSKxNqWY
> 
> https://playmoss.com/en/bluspirits/playlist/kelsier-vin-s-roadtrip-mix
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Vin hadn’t meant to fall asleep in the alley. She had just sat down there, against the wall, to get some quiet. To be alone.  
She shouldn’t have closed her eyes. But she had, in the early hours of the morning, sick of waiting to feel up to facing Camon and the rest of the thieves in the bolthole where she was squatting, and when her eyes opened again, it was almost the middle of the day. Rubbing her forehead and trying to ignore the pain in her back from sleeping against a brick wall, she stretched out and stood. 

 

Outside of the alley, on the other side dumpster that blocked her from view when she sat, people moved up and down the street. None of them even glanced at the girl in the alley. She walked to the edge of the alley and stood for a second, considering going back to the lair. The thought didn’t sound appealing at all, especially since everyone there would be up and moving, and ready to giver her shit. And steal what little stuff she had. 

 

Vin scanned the people on the sidewalk, hoping for something that could give her an excuse to take the long way back. Her eyes fell on one man in particular, standing at the corner at the end of the street, staring off into space. 

 

The man at the end of the street had blond hair, and a face that seemed both used to smiling and very untrustworthy all at once. He wore long sleeves even though it was nearly ninety degrees out, and she could see the flash of a ring on one hand. 

 

Vin’s first thought was that he seemed like a good mark. 

 

The ring had to be worth something, and signalled the possibility of more, and he seemed smug enough that he’d never admitted to being robbed, or even consider the possibility. So, hoping for an easy score, she stepped out of the alley and followed him down the street. 

 

He glanced back behind him several times before picking up speed, and rubbed at his forearms in what she guessed was some kind of nervous tic. She walked directly behind him, keeping a steady pace and dodging through the other pedestrians. He was moving fast, and she had to work to keep up while remaining unnoticed. 

 

When he turned to look behind him again, she was worried she’d been spotted, but a glance backwards of her own told her the real reason her mark was in a hurry. 

 

There were three obligators at the other end of the block. Through the crowds, Vin could make out their dark, robe-like uniforms, and the tattoos around their eyes. 

 

She froze, forgetting about the man for a second as her legs itched to start running. One of the obligators caught her eyes, and she considered for a second that maybe they weren’t after the man. 

 

Camon and the others had been getting into bigger and bigger scores, and she had been at least tangentially involved. Plus she was a frequent pickpocket and had been kicked out of parks and warehouses for squatting. She was on their radar. And too twitchy after years stealing to comfortably assume that any obligators near her were just a coincidence. 

 

She looked back and forth, at the man and at the obliagtors quickly. Turning suddenly would be suspicious if they weren’t here for her, and put her too close to them if they were. The only way to go was forward. 

 

Sucking in a deep breath, she looked forward again. The man had disappeared into the people ahead of her. And the obligators were still moving closer. She cursed under her breath and began to walk again, pace brisk. 

 

At the end of the street, she looked around quickly, and turned to her right, hoping to disappear from the obligators’ view. 

 

She rounded the corner, speeding up as she did, her head still turned to watch the obligators disappear from her view behind the corner of the building. In her hurry to move now that she was out of sight, she slammed face first into someone’s chest. 

 

Blinking and dazed, Vin made no move to resist as someone gently took her shoulders and straightened her out, pushing her a few inches backwards. The hands were removed as she looked up and saw that the person she had collided with was the mark she had been following. 

 

“Are there obligators behind you by any chance?” he asked, peering over her head. 

 

Vin nodded dumbly. 

 

“And were you following me?” he said. 

 

Vin nodded again, the sharp sting of panic running through her at the revelation that she’d been caught. She mentally changed her assessment of the man from mark to threat. 

 

“Are they after you?” the man asked, brow furrowed in confusion. He pointed behind them at the obligators who had just turned the corner. 

 

“I don’t know. Are they after you?” Vin answered, her words running together as she rushed to get them out. 

 

He shrugged, smiling up at the sky, an expression Vin thought didn’t really match the seriousness of the situation. “Probably. But I think they were looking at you too.” 

 

The obligators pushed their way through the other people on the street, now within a few yards of Vin and the man. 

 

“I’m Kelsier,” the man said, smiling. 

 

Vin raised an eyebrow. ‘I didn’t ask’ part of her screamed to say, but she decided not to antagonize him. So she didn’t say anything. 

 

“So, you don’t have a name?” 

 

She didn’t speak. 

 

Kelsier sighed. “I’m assuming you want to get away from them?” 

 

Vin nodded. 

 

“So do I.” 

 

“Do you have a plan?” Vin asked, frowning. 

 

“I was just thinking run.” he smiled at her. “That sound good to you?” 

 

She shrugged. Could be worse. 

 

With a little hop and no warning, he took off, shoving past people, moving as fast as possible through the crowd. Vin followed a second later, staying behind him and letting him force people aside. She glanced back every few breaths, picking out the bald heads of the obligators farther back down the street as they rushed to follow. 

 

Eventually she stopped looking back, focussing on keeping pace with the man in front of her. All she could hear was her harsh breathing. 

 

Kelsier stopped suddenly, and Vin skidded to a stop after him, arms pinwheeling to keep herself upright. He nodded towards the silver toyota parked next to them. He pulled a key fob from his pocket, and Vin could hear the click as he unlocked it. 

 

Vin, still full of adrenaline from running, got in the car, all of her priorities still focused on escaping the obligators. 

 

“Is this your car?” 

 

Kelsier blinked at her, looking up from where he was doing something with wires, making an attempt at hotwiring, she realized a second to late. He laughed. “Oh, no. Absolutely not.” 

 

“You have keys,” Vin said, watching him work. 

 

“Yes. But this is more fun.” 

 

He didn’t explain any further, leaving Vin staring as he pulled out of the parking spot and sped away, driving far faster than what was safe and even faster than what was legal. 

 

Within seconds, the obligators were small in the distance. But Vin didn’t let herself relax. Instead, she shifted her focus and her worry to the man next to her. 

 

He whistled happily, not even glancing at her, smiling and tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. 

 

“Drop me at the gas station outside town,” she said finally, keeping her voice as steady as possible. 

 

“If that’s what you want,” he said. 

 

“That’s what I want.” 

 

Kelsier stayed silent, a move she was beginning to think was rare for him. He drove several miles an hour over the speed limit, leaning over the wheel, glancing at the rearview mirror regularly. 

 

When it seemed like they weren’t being followed, he pulled over, into a gas station. He parked in front of one of the pumps, but didn’t get out. Frowning at him, Vin opened at door and stepped out. She didn’t take his eyes off of him, and he smiled blandly back, hands kept on the wheel, fingers spread, like that was supposed reassure her. 

 

It almost did. 

 

“What’s your name?” he asked as she stood outside the car, holding onto the door and wondering what to do next. Vin remained silent. 

 

“So I can always remember this short, but thrilling, chapter of my life,” he leaned towards her, but not close enough to cross into the passenger’s seat.  
Looking around the gas station and deciding to run, she took a deep breath. Then she heard the sirens. 

 

“Vin,” she said, nearly a whisper, stretching up on her tiptoes to look for the source of the noise. Kelsier nodded. He stared back down the road, not noticing her jumpiness. 

 

Finally, he spoke, “Well, Vin, I know we’ve only known each other for a few minutes, but I think you should get in the car.” 

 

“What?” Vin blinked. Old stranger danger warnings flashed through her head, warning her about getting into cars with strange men. But when she looked in the direction Kelsier was staring and saw what he was looking at, the idea became much more inviting. 

 

Down the road, lights flashing, was a ministry car. Most likely carrying obligators. With a fairly good chance it was coming for them. 

 

At least in the car, she would have a chance of outrunning the obligators. And one man was much easier to fight if she had too. 

 

The ministry cars were picking up speed, edging closer. 

 

“I’m driving away right now. You can come with me if you want.” he opened the car door, then looked at her expectantly. Vin looked around the empty gas station, unsure of what she was searching for. She didn’t find anything to help her, or to tell her what to do.

 

Taking a deep breath and dropping her head back to look at the stars, thinking that she liked being able to see them, and not being in prison, she made a decision. 

 

“Fine.” 

 

She got in the other side of the car, watching Kelsier closely as he started the car and adjusted the mirror. When the engine was humming, he turned to her, waiting for something. 

 

“What?” 

 

“Seatbelt,” he said, pointing at her shoulder. 

 

“Seriously?” Vin asked. She forgot about any kind of plan to be quiet and unnoticed and stared at him incredulously. 

 

“Safety is very important,” he answered, sounding so serious he had to be joking. She blinked at him and he smirked at her. Sighing, she put on her seatbelt. 

 

The car began to move, its driver not seeming to care about the fact that he had picked up a homeless thief along the way. 

 

“Where are you going?” 

 

“Luthadel. It’s easy to disappear in the city. And I have friends there.” 

 

Vin nodded. She didn’t say anything else, waiting for him to speak first. To give her some kind of sign whether he was really an ally or an enemy. 

 

He watched her, eyeing her in a way that made her feel like he was making the same assessment as she was. After a second he relaxed, shoulders dropping. “I can drop you in the next town. If you want.” 

 

Vin nodded. “Okay.” 

 

She forced her body to relax, to let go of the tension in her muscles. While her mind was on high alert, she hoped that maybe looking more relaxed might make him forget about her, might make him less likely to try anything. 

 

But she kept one hand behind her, gripping the knife in her back pocket, just in case. 

 

\-------

 

Vin and Kelsier sat in the car in the dark parking lot of a fast food restaurant. A cardboard cup of french fries sat between them, and they picked at it slowly. The only light was from the nearby streetlights, which cut through the mist that swirled around the car. 

 

Over the course of the drive, Vin had shifted away from her position as close to the door as possible, and now sat sat not too far from Kelsier, though she still watched him out of the corner of her eye. 

 

“Why were the obligators following you?” Vin asked, licking the salt from her fingers. 

 

“Why did you think they were after _you _?” Kelsier said instead of answering. He shoved several fries in his mouth at once.__

__

__Vin narrowed her eyes and decided that a small bit of information was required to keep the conversation moving. “I steal things.”_ _

__

__“Hey! So do I!” His face lit up._ _

__

__Vin stared at him._ _

__

__“I robbed Tresting’s manor, outside of town,” Kelsier said, ending with a long pause like he was waiting for applause._ _

__

__“Did you also light it on fire?” Vin asked. She had been able to see the smoke from across the town. Everyone had. Firetrucks were racing around all night, sirens keeping her from relaxing. Or as close to relaxed as she ever got._ _

__

__“Well,” Kelsier glanced up at the roof of the car for a second. “I’d never tried arson before.”_ _

__

__He made a face, then grinned at her. “It wasn’t as fun as I thought. Too much smoke.”_ _

__

__Vin snapped her mouth shut before she could laugh._ _

__

__“Where’s the money?” Vin asked. She resisted the urge to look towards the back of the car._ _

__

__Kelsier almost choked, head going forward and almost hitting the wheel. He laughed, when he straightened back up. “Not here. I’m not that stupid.”_ _

__

__Vin sighed._ _

__

__Kelsier laughed a little more, before shoving a whole handful of fries in his mouth. Then he turned around, looking through the back window at the rest of the parking lot and the interior of the restaurant._ _

__

__“Is that a-” Kelsier said quietly, his voice mildly curious. He was turned around, looking through the back window of the car at the interior of the restaurant._ _

__

__She looked through the window. Vin’s eyes widened. Her blood went cold. She nodded jerkily._ _

__

__“Inquisitor,” she whispered._ _

__

__“Huh.” Kelsier grinned and nudged her shoulder. “Looks like you made the big leagues, kid.”_ _

__

__“Great.”_ _

__

__“You still want to get out here?” Kelsier’s words drew her out of her horrified and frozen stare as the massive inquisitor interrogated the workers inside._ _

__

__Vin eyed him. “Yes.”_ _

__

__“I can drive, or?” he flicked the lock button a few times, the door locks clicking open and closed. Vin closed her eyes and considered the idea of an inquisitor, a shadowy figure she had never truly seen, but was terrified of, in the way that almost everyone in the country was, but even more so, considering how Vin got by._ _

__

__The inquisitor was huge, and muscled, bald, with dark sunglasses over his eyes. He had his back to them._ _

__

__Kelsier didn’t seem scared. And suddenly that meant everything, when met with Vin’s near heart stopping dread._ _

__

__“You can drive.”_ _

__

__\-------_ _

__

__Vin woke with her forehead pressed against the cold glass of the window. They were off of the highway, and moving much slower._ _

__

__“Pick a house,” Kelsier said._ _

__

__“What?” Vin asked, not really registering his words. They were on a residential road, lined with big brick houses that must have had price tags in the upper hundred thousands._ _

__

__“Pick one,” he repeated._ _

__

__Vin watched the houses go by. She spared a second to wonder what he was doing, but whatever it was, she decided to play along._ _

__

__Waiting and watching, she spotted one home, large, made of red brick with white pillars. Small lights illuminated the driveway, which was empty, along with the three car garage, from what she could make out. Even though it was early evening, there were no lights on, and several newspapers piled on the front steps. The emptiness drew her, a habit of years of stealing and squatting. Whatever Kelsier was up to, at least they wouldn’t be caught._ _

__

__“That one,” she said, pointing at it._ _

__

__“Nice choice,” he said, glancing at the house. He turned the wheel, entering the driveway._ _

__

__He stopped the car, and Vin unbuckled her seatbelt. She slid from the car lethargically, following after Kelsier, who practically skipped down the paved path that led to the door. He pulled open the glass door and kneeled down in front of the large wooden door._ _

__

__Vin watched, eyes drifting closed, as he picked the lock, finally opening the door with a flourish and ushering her inside._ _

__

__The inside of the house was cool and dark, dark hardwood around the door and soft white carpet up the huge steps that stretched out in front of her. A huge chandelier hung above her head, and in her tired state, she almost fell over backwards trying to look up at it._ _

__

__Kelsier watched her stumble down the hall behind him. “Nice, huh?”_ _

__

__Vin nodded vaguely. The hall was lined with family pictures. She didn’t look at them. Not even once._ _

__

__Vin sat on the edge of the couch, shoulders hunched. She watched Kelsier pull open cabinets and drawers, and rummage through the refrigerator. He was clearly watching her out of the corner of his eye, but he made no move to try anything. Either to reach for her, or for a phone._ _

__

__Once again, she wondered at how comfortable he seemed. He was a thief like her, but he didn’t seem at all fazed by picking up a strange girl he found trying to rob him. He didn’t even seem to be thinking of betraying her. He hadn’t so far._ _

__

__Of course, he could just be a very good actor, planning to throw her to the wolves, (or the obligators) when the moment arrived in order to buy himself more time to escape._ _

__

__“Whole house is yours,” Kelsier said to her. She looked up. He had his back to her, fridge doors thrown open, inspecting the food offerings. “Pick any bedroom you want. You can even jump on the bed.”_ _

__

__“I’m fine here.” Vin sat herself down on the couch, stiff backed and watching Kelsier closely._ _

__

__“If you want. But I think you’re going to regret that in the morning,” he said, with something like a shrug, hands still on the fridge doors._ _

__

__Vin was still anxious and suspicious and didn’t like the idea of closing her eyes with him around. But she was so tired. Her eyes slipped closed, and she slid down, head against the arm of the sofa. Everything felt soft and warm, and while her hand remained in her pocket, only the tips of her fingers touched her knife._ _

__

__Her eyes popped open when something large and soft hit her in the head. “What-_ _

__

__She struggled to sit up, tangled in the fleece blanket that had been tossed at her. Tangled in it, she finally managed to get her head out. Kelsier grinned at her from across the room. “Don’t want to catch a cold.”_ _

__

__“Ugh.” Vin grumbled, forgetting her worries in favor of annoyance. She threw the blanket over head head again and squeezed her eyes shut._ _

__

__Kelsier laughed. “Sleep tight.”_ _

__

__\-----_ _

__

__Vin woke up the next morning feeling a little lost. She couldn’t really see because of the blanket over her head. All she knew was that she wasn't in Camon’s lair, or in the wierdo’s car. They had broken into a house, she remembered. And all she could hear was the banging of pots and pans._ _

__

__Vin rubbed at her eyes, staying curled up, keeping herself as small as possible. She had to shake her head a few times to be sure that she was seeing what she thought she was seeing._ _

__

__Kelsier was standing at the marble island in the kitchen, sleeves rolled up, milk, eggs, and other ingredients strewn around. The stove was on, and he was flipping something in a pan._ _

__

__She let the smell hit her, and looked closer. Pancakes. He was making pancakes. What the hell?_ _

__

__Rubbing at her hair, and stretching her arms out over her head, she looked at him again. He was whistling something, probably one of the songs he had been listening to in the car. He flipped a pancake, with just a little bit of struggle, and leaned against the counter. His sleeves were rolled up, and all down his arms were pale, straight scars, so many they covered his arms all the way up past his elbows where they disappeared into his sleeves._ _

__

__Vin stared, sparing a moment from her confusion and worry over the cooking to wonder what they were and how he had gotten them._ _

__

__“Anyone ever tell you it’s rude to stare?”_ _

__

__Vin’s eyes jerked up to Kelsier’s smiling face. She didn’t meet his eyes._ _

__

__“No.”_ _

__

__“Figures.” he shook his head ruefully and flipped another pancake. “You want chocolate chips?”_ _

__

__“Uh.” she blinked._ _

__

__“You can try one of mine.” he picked up a pancake and dropped it on a plate, before doing the same with the rest in the pan._ _

__

__She watched silently as he he poured more batter into the pan and scattered chocolate chips on them. Then he began to eat chocolate out of the bag by the handful._ _

__

__“They had this stuff in the house?”_ _

__

__“Sure. Most of it.”_ _

__

__Vin stood, blanket around her shoulders and dragging on the floor, and approached him. He pushed the plate of three pancakes towards her. She picked the one on top of the pile up with her finger and prepared to take a bite before Kelsier slapped it out of her hands._ _

__

__“Not like that!” he passed her a fork and knife, then wandered off, reappearing with a bottle of syrup._ _

__

__Vin glared, but cut up the pancakes, then smothered them in syrup. She shoved a forkful in her mouth before Kelsier could give her any more shit._ _

__

__“Are they good? Come on, you’re hurting my self-esteem here.”_ _

__

__Vin doubted that was possible. She left him waiting several more seconds before she answered. “They’re good._ _

__

__He smiled, flipping the ones in the pan. “There’s more, if you want some. With chocolate.”_ _

__

__Vin let herself relax, and poured more syrup on her pancakes._ _

__

__\-----_ _

__

__Vin stood by the door, tapping her foot on the floor. Kelsier approached slowly, dragging his fingers along the wall and inspecting each picture he passed. She tapped louder, but he didn’t change his pace._ _

__

__“You stole that?” he asked when he made it to the door, gesturing at the hoodie she was wearing and the backpack hanging off her shoulder, full of various things from around the house._ _

__

__She nodded._ _

__

__“Smart.” he nodded at her approvingly. She rolled her eyes and stepped in front of him, pushing open the door and heading for the car._ _

__

__\------_ _

__

__One of the first things Vin learned about Kelsier was that he had bad taste in music. In the car with him, it was always top forty stations, all the time, except when she tried to change it. Then he fought her off and put on screamo for the next fifteen minutes even though he clearly hated it too. And he was always singing along, too loud, obnoxious on purpose. He rolled the windows down and shouted along to rap songs, and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, his rhythm off just a little bit, because he knew it bothered her._ _

__

__Vin had considered strangling him several times. She rested her forehead against the cool glass of the car window and watched the landscape outside the car, counting trees to help her focus on something other than the music playing._ _

__

__Currently, Kelsier was tapping one hand against the steering wheel and waving the other one around outside the window. He sang at the top of his lungs, off key, but attempting to make up for it in enthusiasm. “ _Can I preach, uh oh, can I preach, uh oh, I gotta show em how a pimp get it in! _”___ _

____ _ _

____Vin stared at Kelsier in abject horror, mouth hanging open._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____He noticed her expression. His smile grew wider and his voice got louder._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____“ _We too fresh, got to blame it on Jesus, hashtag blessed! _”___ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Oh my god, stop!” Vin shouted, one hand flying to cover her ear and the other turning the volume of the radio all the way down as fast as possible. Kelsier’s laughter took the place of the music, and Vin glared at him._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“What do you want to listen to, then?” he asked when he had managed to stop laughing._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“I don’t know,” Vin shrugged. “Anything but that. Silence, maybe.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Sounds boring,” Kelsier said. He smirked at her._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Vin groaned and sank deeper into her seat, closing her eyes and pulling the hood of her sweatshirt over her face._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Kelsier continued to sing._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______\------_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______When they pulled into the motel, which was old and empty except for two other beat up cars, Vin was curling up in her seat, having finally surrendered in that day’s ongoing battle to win control of the radio from Kelsier._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______She slouched out of the car, leaning against the hood while Kelsier went into the office to get a room. The dark parking lot was dead silent, and Vin sighed, crossing her arms. There was no motion for several minutes. She wondered what was taking so long. A sick spike of anxiety told her head was calling the ministry and selling her out to the obligators. She was surprised by how fast the feeling went away though._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Just when she was considering coming in after him, Kelsier appeared, twirling a key ring on one finger and smiling._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______She followed him to room 7, directly in front of their car and slipped inside, finding the ratty hotel room familiar to her, like Camon’s, or the many places she had crashed before._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Vin and Kelsier eyed each other across the two small stained beds, like gunmen waiting for the shot during a standoff. Vin wasn’t sure what they were competing over, but she wasn’t going to blink first._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Finally, Kelsier sighed and waved a hand at the bed. “You can get some rest,” he said._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“I slept in the car,” Vin said, crossing her arms. She had slept in the car a lot. She hadn’t realized how much of a difference feeling safe made for her sleep habits. Usually she ran on two or three hours, constantly twitchy and on guard._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______But these last few days, most of what she had done was sleep. She would hate how much of her free time it had eaten up if not for the fact that there wasn’t much else to do in the car other than listen to Kelsier sing._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“There’s a pool,” Kelsier offered, not quite meeting her eyes and covering up a yawn._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“I don’t have a bathing suit,” Vin said. ‘And I don’t know how to swim,’ she added mentally, and Kelsier seemed to pick up on her thoughts._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Can always put your feet in.” he smiled at her like wading in a small pool with too much chlorine would be the greatest experience of her life._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Fine.” she shifted for a second, then headed for the door. Kelsier followed, moving more slowly than usual._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Vin hopped the chain link fence around the pool easily, while Kelsier struggled over it after her. She folded the bottoms of her jeans, rolling them up and stepping down the steps into the pool until the cool water reached her knees. Kelsier sat down on the edge of the pool, feet in the water, not bothering to roll up his pants._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Vin walked up and down the steps a few times, enjoying the feeling of the water, before sitting down next to him. She kicked her feet in and out of the water, splashing, for several minutes._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______She looked over to her right. Kelsier’s head had dropped, his chin resting on his chest and his eyes closed. She kicked her feet a few more times, waiting for him to stir._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______He didn’t move._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______With a sigh, Vin leaned down, dipping her fingers in the water, then stretched out farther, chest against her thighs, face near the water, arm in past the elbow. She swirled her fingers through the water._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Kelsier remained still. The motel was dark, the parking lot barely lit, the pool a lone oasis of light._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Vin rolled her eyes. She smiled to herself, raising a cupped hand full of water out of the pool, and stretching to sit mostly upright._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Allowing herself a grin, she reached back down and dragged a hand through the water, fast, splashing Kelsier right in the face. He came awake with a sputter, flailing in surprise, dripping water._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Wha-” he started, before Vin planted her hands on his shoulder and shoved. His words were cut off as he fell forward into the water. The splash caught Vin, and she laughed, tasting chlorine in her mouth._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Kelsier’s head came up. He spit out water he had swallowed, smiling. For a second he just watched Vin laugh._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Then he reached out under the water and grabbed Vin’s ankle. There was just enough time for her to make panicked eye contact with him before he pulled, dragging her shouting into the pool._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______She hit the water, body suddenly cold, water in her still open, laughing mouth and up her nose. Her feet hit the rough concrete at the bottom, and she stayed for a minute in the cool quiet, before rising, shooting out of the water, mouth opening to suck in a deep breath._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Ugh!” she let out an affronted shout when she’d gotten her breath back and glared at Kelsier, blinking the stinging water out of her eyes. He laughed, and she splashed him, flinging water straight into his open mouth. He fell backwards, choking, going under the water again._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______While he was down, Vin began to move towards the steps, her motions slowed by the water._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Kelsier came back up for air, choking and laughing. He ran after her, slow, arms swinging. Vin laughed as she hit the steps and rushed out of the pool, cold air making her flinch. She stood at the top of the steps, watching Kelsier struggle out of the pool. Her wet clothes suddenly felt freezing and heavy, but she still smiled._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Kelsier finally got out of the pool, and shook his head, spraying water from his hair like a dog. Vin nearly screamed, jumping back from the drops._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______They made their way back to the room dripping wet and smiling._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______\------_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Sorry. I’m sorry, sir. The stuff is in the trunk. I’ll get it.” Kelsier moved slowly towards the back of the car, keeping his head down and his hands up. Vin stood on the other side and watched him, eyeing the obligator standing next to her. Her hand twitched for her shiv._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Kelsier popped the trunk with a click that almost made Vin flinch. He smiled up at the obligator then reached into the trunk._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______His hand came back out gripping a metal bat._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______He swung it up, catching the obliagtor under the chin with a sickening crack. The man fell backwards, and Kelsier was on him in a second, hitting him across the face again and again until he went down._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Vin blinked, then moved._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______She grabbed her shiv from her pocket and spun, sinking it into the other obligator’s leg as she fell into a crouch. His punch flew over her head. He shouted as the blade went in, and she yanked it back out, then snapped upright, kicking him in the balls as hard as she could and sending him sprawling to the ground._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______While he lay there groaning, she backed away from him, moving to stand beside Kelsier. He was leaning against the back of the car, twirling the bat and smiling._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______The obligator in front of him tried to get to his feet, but Kelsier planted a foot on his back and forced him down again._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Here,” he said, looking at Vin. He handed her the bat, which had a thin splatter of blood across the end. She took it cautiously, slipping her shiv back into her pocket._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Tightening her grip on the bat, and holding it straight up, she watched Kelsier. He didn’t seem worried about handing over his bat. Instead, he pulled two knives from his belt._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______They were long pocket knives. He flicked them open easily, and held them like he had used them all his life. Maybe he had. She didn’t know._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Back to back, the two waited for the obligators to rise again._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______When the one in front of Vin made it to his feet, she moved. He stood bent over with his hands on his knees, looking up at her. He reached for his gun._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______She slammed the bat into his back over and over, ignoring the way each blow rattled through her bones._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Kelsier moved like smoke behind her. Like a shadow. He shot forward, swinging one knife up and slashing the obligator across the cheek. He sunk the other one into the man’s stomach when he was reeling back. Then he knocked him onto his back with a powerful kick to the chest._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______The obligator didn’t move._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Neither did Vin’s when his back finally gave out and he crashed to the ground._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______She stepped back, exhaling slowly, letting the bat hang at her side, her grip loose. Kelsier nodded at her, with an expression she decided to read as proud._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Here,” he said, holding out one of the knives. Vin took it cautiously with her free hand. She held it up, turned it over in her fingers._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Better than that thing you were using before. And easier to carry than a bat,” he said._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Vin smiled. “Thanks.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______She flicked it closed and put it carefully in her pocket. Satisfied, Kelsier nodded, getting back in the car with a smile on his face. Vin followed, strapping in as Kelsier pulled out. There was a bump that threw her forward, stealing the breath from her lungs. She assumed they had driven over one of the obligators._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Sorry,” Kelsier offered._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______They got back on the highway, and Vin alternated time between staring out the window and fiddling with the knife Kelsier had given her. He watched her out of the corner of his eyes._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Knife in her grasp, Kelsier grinning next to her, trees and signs flying by, Vin felt safe. It was a strange feeling._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______And it lasted until she heard the sirens._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Fuck,” Kelsier breathed, looking in the rearview mirror at the ministry cars behind them._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“You think they’re after us?” Vin asked._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______He snorted, rolling his eyes. “Maybe they’re after the guy with the broken taillights.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______He pointed at a car with one light out in the next lane over._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Vin tightened her grip on the knife._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______There were two cars. One drew up beside them, no matter how hard Kelsier pushed on the gas. The other moved in right behind them, less than two feet away, so close on their tail that if they stopped, it would be hit._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______So of course, that was what Kelsier did. He slammed his foot down on the brakes, throwing both him and Vin forward, seatbelts stealing their breath and crushing their ribs, and pitching them violently when they collided with the other car._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______The car in the next lane kept moving, speeding ahead, not noticing their sudden stop for several seconds. The car behind them jerked, hood crumpled with a hideous grating noise that had Vin reaching to cover her ears._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______With a harsh breath, Kelsier tightened his grip on the wheel and slammed on the gas, sending the car flying forward, past the remaining car, which had slowed down to adjust. Vin was thrown backwards. She clutched at the knife, heart pounding, even though it would do nothing in a car chase._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Vin braced herself against the door as Kelsier spun the wheel, slamming them into the ministry car next to them. The impact rattled her bones and made her jaw slam shut. The car went spiraling off, and Kelsier jerked the wheel again, ramming the cars into each other again, driving the other car off the road and into the grass._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______He sucked in a breath and righted the car with a jerky motion._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“You okay?” he asked, taking his eyes off the road to look at Vin, who was hunched down in her seat and clutching at the door and her knife. He looked twitchy, eyes jumping, smile lopsided._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Vin took a long breath, her first in several minutes and opened her mouth. Then she glanced out the windshield._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Hey! Watch-”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______The car hit the guardrail, and everything went dark._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______\-----_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Kelsier paced back and forth on the side of the highway, phone held against his ear. Vin sat on the guardrail and watched the cars zoom by, occasionally glancing at him._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______He stared up at the dark sky and sighed, ever present smile gone._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Hey,” he said when whoever he was calling finally picked up. His voice was more subdued than normal. “Marsh. Can you come pick me up? I’m on highway 87 by Black Lake.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______There was a long pause. Vin couldn’t hear the person on the other end, Marsh, whoever that was. Kelsier nodded a couple of times._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Yes, I know it’s the middle of the night. Yes. I know it’s not close. Look, you’re the closest person I know. I-” he cut himself off and glanced at Vin. He spoke a little faster._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“I got in a crash. Trying to avoid obligators. I can’t stay on the side of the highway, okay?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Marsh said something else and Kelsier rolled his eyes. He looked back at Vin one more time, and she couldn’t read the expression on his face. He turned away from her, taking several steps towards the car and away from her._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______She frowned and leaned in his direction, trying to listen._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Look. I’m not alone. I have a teenage girl with me. The obligators are looking for her too. If you won’t help me out here, help her.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______There was a short pause. “Thanks. You’re my favorite brother.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______When he turned around, his smile was back, wide as ever. “My brother’s coming to pick us up. He’ll be here in an hour. You’ll love him.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Vin was skeptical of that. She liked Kelsier fine, but one of him was really enough. He sat down on the guardrail next to her, tapping his fingers against his leg._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______There was silence for a bit. Vin stared at the car, the side of its hood crumpled._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Do you have any other brothers?” she thought of her own brother, a crumpled mess of anger and sadness rising in her. In her effort to keep his voice from her head, she almost missed Kelsier’s answer._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“No. Just me and Marsh.” his voice was fond. She exhaled slowly. He looked at her. “Do you have siblings?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“One brother.” she didn’t meet his eyes or match his smile._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______He nodded, getting the message. “Do you wanna play I spy?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“It’s the middle of the night.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“I spy, with my little eye, something black.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Vin looked at him flatly. “The sky?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Yeah. How’d you know?” Kelsier grinned at her and she refused to let herself smile back._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Just a lucky guess.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______He nodded. “Okay, your turn.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Are we really going to pass a whole hour like this? Cause if we are, I’m gonna start walking. I think I can make it to the nearest rest stop.” She moved to stand, mostly just to stretch, but Kelsier caught her wrist gently._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Safest thing to do is stay here.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“I wasn’t going to actually leave,” Vin said. “I just don’t want to play I spy.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Okay.” he nodded. “What do you want to play?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“How about the quiet game?” Vin stretched her arms out over her head, then sat back down._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Kelsier groaned. “I knew you were going to say that.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“And now you’re already losing.” Vin said._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Hey! You-” Kelsier cut himself off and crossed his arms, sitting quietly as Vin snickered next to him._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______They made it through almost a half an hour of silence before Vin spoke, now anticipating the arrival of either obligators or Kelsier’s brother with sickly anxiety._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Is your brother going to drive us to Luthadel?” she tried to keep her voice neutral, but she didn’t like that idea. Annoying singing aside, she liked traveling with Kelsier, just the two of them. It felt safe._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“No.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Then how are we getting there?” Vin raised an eyebrow._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Marsh is a mechanic. He’ll have cars.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Are we borrowing one, or stealing it?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Kelsier smiled at her. “You know, I like how you ask that without judgement.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Borrowing or stealing, Kelsier.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Borrowing,” he said, adding after a few seconds of her unbelieving stare: “Probably.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Vin rolled her eyes and went back to waiting quietly, reassured._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Fifteen minutes later, a large dark red pickup truck pulled over next to them, only a few yards away from Vin. She shifted away from it, waiting for Kelsier to make a move. Once the car’s lights had gone out, He stood._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Shotgun!” he announced loudly, raising one hand and shoving the other in his pocket._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______A man got out of the truck, standing with one foot still in the car and the door left half open. He didn’t say anything, just looked at Kelsier._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Hey Marsh,” he grinned, waking up and throwing an arm around his brother. He pulled Marsh away from the car, so the two of them stood in front of Vin, Kelsier’s arm slung over Marsh’s stiff shoulders._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______The position gave her a good view of the two, even in the dark. Marsh looked similar to Kelsier. He was around the same height, had the same color hair, though his was much shorter, and in the darkness, they almost looked like twins._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______The difference though, was in their expressions. Kelsier had a smile so wide it split his face, while Marsh looked like a stone statue, frozen and cold. It was so distinctly opposite from Kelsier and what she knew of him, that even with the resemblance, Vin found herself struggling for a second to think of them as brothers._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“This is my brother Marsh.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Marsh nodded at her in greeting, and she gave him an awkward wave back. Then, while Kelsier was untangling himself from his embrace of his brother, she slipped forward and slid into the passenger seat._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Hey!” Kelsier shouted when he noticed her. He got into the back seat, glaring at her as he did._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“I called it,” Kelsier said when he had closed the door, looking for Marsh to call in his authority as driver._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“I didn’t hear it.” Marsh responded. He began to start up the truck, ignoring his brother._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______“Okay, you’re officially my least favorite brother,” Kelsier snapped from the backseat, leaning forward to stick his head in between Marsh and Vin._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Marsh’s expression didn’t change. “I’m your only brother.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Kelsier sighed and crossed his arms, sitting back, an exaggerated pout on his face. Vin smiled, changing her assessment of Marsh slightly. He glanced at her, and while his face was as blank as ever, she thought she could see some kind of humor in his eyes._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______\------_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______After getting switching cars, Kelsier changed his music too. Instead of top forty, he switched to the _Les Mis _soundtrack. On repeat. And for him, the _Les Mis _soundtrack consisted almost entirely of _Do You Hear The People Sing _over and over. It was a two minute song. Vin had no idea how he managed to make it seem like it lasted an hour._______ _ _ _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“ _It is the music of a people, who will not be slaves again, when the beating of your heart, echoes the beating of the drums _,” Kelsier was singing quietly when Vin woke up. It was early in the morning, the sun yet risen. He looked at her, smiling softly.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________In her tired, just woke up haze, she smiled back._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“You want some coffee?” he asked, waving a hand at the two cups in the cupholder between them. She uncurled her legs and picked one up. It was still hot. He must not have stopped too long ago._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________She drank slowly, watching him drive._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Another day or two until we reach Luthadel,” he said, eyes still on the road._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Vin nodded, blinking several times. She watched him drumming his fingers against the wheel. She thought about Luthadel. She didn’t know it. And she found that she didn’t really want to leave this car._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Are you married?” Vin asked, pointing to Kelsier’s fingers on the steering wheel and the simple gold band on one._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________His singing stopped. “Why do you ask?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________He looked at her out of the corner of his eye._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________She shrugged and looked out at the road ahead of them, not liking how fast the humor had disappeared from his eyes at her question._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________In her silence, his eyes flicked to the ring and he moved that hand to the bottom of the wheel. He freed one hand from the wheel to play with the hem of his sleeve, pulling it down to cover some of the scars._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Oh. Are we talking about each other's jewelry now? Because I’ve been meaning to ask about what’s up with your earring. It makes you look like a tiny pirate.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Vin’s jaw tightened and her hand went to the small stud in her ear reflexively. Kelsier grinned, but it was a thin smile, harsh and full of teeth. He had known exactly what kind of hurt he was hitting at, and had done it on purpose. Because she had stumbled on something that hurt him. An eye for an eye._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________She bit down on her tongue, tasting copper. “It was from my mother. She gave it to me after she killed my sister.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________She said this, then waited. Throwing that information out there wasn’t a surrender. It was an attack. And Kelsier crumpled._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Shit.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Vin hummed in agreement._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________He took a short breath, and bit his lip, before speaking. “Yes, I was married. Her name was Mare.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Was she a thief too?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Kelsier smiled fondly, staring off at something Vin couldn’t see. “Yeah. The best.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“What was she like?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“She was-” he paused and shook his head. “She was smart and beautiful, and a better thief than me, even though this is the only time I’ll ever admit that. And she, um. She loved flowers.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________He grinned down at Vin at the last bit._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“She always wanted kids. But I-” he cut himself off and Vin looked away, feeling like she had intruded on something private._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“It doesn’t matter.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Vin doubted that._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________There was a long silence, where Vin wondered what to say. She partly regretted the conversation._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Kelsier blinked a few times and took a deep breath before he smiled at Vin, really looking at her, mind in the present. “She’d have liked you.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________For some reason, that made Vin feel warm inside._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________He turned the music back up, staring at the road, and Vin leaned back, curling up and listening._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“ _There is a life about to start, when tomorrow comes, _”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________\-----_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Have you ever driven a car?” Kelsier asked, leaning against the door of the blue sedan._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Vin drank the last of her chocolate milkshake, making obnoxious sucking noises until Kelsier glared at her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“No.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“How old are you?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Really? Underage driving is the crime you’re going to get picky about?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________He smiled. “And arson, but who’s counting?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“16.” she tossed the styrofoam cup at the nearest trash can, but it bounced off the edge. With a muttered curse, She jogged over and threw it in._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“You should learn.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Sure.” Vin looked around the school parking lot. They had gotten off the highway and stopped to eat lunch. It was the middle of the day, but a weekend, so the place was nearly empty. There was a crowd around back, for a baseball game or something, but Vin and Kelsier were nowhere near them._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Get in then,” Kelsier said, waving at the car. He got in the passenger’s side. Vin followed, sitting in the driver’s seat and placing her hands on the wheel, waiting._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Adjust the mirror. And the seat.” Kelsier pointed at the rearview mirror. Vin did, then stared at him expectantly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________He rubbed his hands together. “You’ve got two pedals down there. The thin one to your right is the gas, the thick one to your left is the brake.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Vin pressed down on the gas, and the car lurched forward suddenly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“And turn the wheel the way you want to go.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Vin glared at him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Just in case,” he said, holding his hands up._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________\-----_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________The ‘Welcome to Luthadel’ sign on the horizon was like a particularly nasty pimple. Vin just couldn’t tear her eyes away. She wanted it gone._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________It flew by, and Vin sighed, resting her head on the window._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Still got a little way to go. We’re in the suburbs. The city is huge,” Kelsier said, glancing at her. “Sorry.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“I guess you need to start thinking about where to drop me,” Vin said._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________He didn’t say anything for a second. When Kelsier looked at her, he wasn’t smiling. “I guess.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Hey, we’re in Luthadel, at least,” he said, and Vin attempted to force a smile. She wasn’t sure it was believable. In celebration, or maybe to make her smile, he slammed his hand down on the center of the wheel, honking the horn._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Vin flinched back, caught by surprise. He kept his hand there, pressing down for almost a full minute._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“What the hell!” she reached over, grabbing at his ams. “Stop it! Someone’ll think we’re in trouble!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“No one’s looking!” Kelsier said, laughing. He slammed the base of his hand down on the wheel again._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Ugh.” Vin threw up her hands and sank back into her seat. She tried not to laugh too._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________\-----_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Drop me here.” Vin said, pointing at the side of the road, and not looking at Kelsier._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________They were in the center of the city now, buildings towering around them, cars barely moving, everything shining metal or dirty concrete. Businessmen in suits shoved past beggars. Vin couldn’t tear her eyes away from it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Here?” Kelsier asked, but he pulled over, parking on the side of the road._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________He also avoided making eye contact._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Vin flipped the lock on the car door, looking down at the floor. She got out of the car slowly, shoving her hands into the pockets of her hoodie and feeling the knife he had given her. The air outside was cold and bit at her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________She felt small, a feeling that had once made her feel safe, but now felt bad._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Squaring her shoulders, she began to count to ten. Then she would leave. Then she would walk off. Then she would go and do exactly what she had been doing before. Robbing people and falling asleep in alleys._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Vin.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________She stopped her count, but didn’t turn around, waiting. When he didn’t say anything else, she spun, looking back with an eyebrow raised, waiting. He was leaning out the window, not smiling, looking worried for once._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“I know we haven’t known each other too long, but I think you should get in the car.” this was said with the cadence and half smile of a joke, but edged with nerves. Vin thought back to first meeting Kelsier, to being nervous around him, to thinking he’d throw her to the wolves. She thought about growing to trust him. She thought about pancakes, and knives, and bad music and smiles from amused to proud._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________She shook her head then laughed, throwing her head back. At the sight, Kelsier smiled, face relaxing. He sagged against the bottom of the window, relief showing._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________She turned and leaned against the car._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Where are we going?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“I don’t know. I was thinking about stealing some stuff.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Smiling, Vin got in the car._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


End file.
